Thursday, October 30, 2008

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 26): Has Anyone Heard of This Sports Team?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 26): Has Anyone Heard of This Sports Team?:
Q: 'Nonclassical analysis' contains eight different letters. Two of them occur once, two of them occur twice, two of them occur three times, and two of them occur four times each. Which sports team's name has this same property?
Oh brother. Couldn't Will Shortz have picked something more topical for this week's puzzle rather than hitting us with this week's stumper? I doubt you could scour the sports pages and find any mention of this team... right? I mean, people are busy with Halloween but this puzzle has nothing to do with a favorite fall activity. Well, I'm sure you'll eventually figure this out, maybe after 5 tries... unless you have to take a couple more guesses.

Edit: Clues -- "Oh brother" (as in City of Brotherly Love), "hitting", "favorite fall activity", and "out". Plus there were additional references to the World Series throughout.
A: PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
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16 comments:

  1. Michael S.Mon Oct 27, 08:34:00 AM PDT

    The weekend that this puzzle came out is relevant on several grounds.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Michael S.Mon Oct 27, 08:37:00 AM PDT

    Somewhat off-topic - I have been playing the puzzle for some time but I am not a member of an NPR station, and I leave that box blank on the entry. Anyone know if winners are only chosen from entrants who are members?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Don HodunMon Oct 27, 09:32:00 AM PDT

    Michael

    Last year a first-ever winner was picked from an Internet user. It was a funny moment!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownMon Oct 27, 11:00:00 AM PDT

    The answer to this puzzle is the most obvious out there. I figured out the team right away.

    ReplyDelete
  5. minncognitoMon Oct 27, 12:57:00 PM PDT

    Michael - the one time i *accidentally* clicked the "I am a member." box was when i was chosen to play on-air (i played in late September of this year, REC Center episode). but i don't think there's a correlation. bizarre though...the ONE time i checked it. hmmm..

    ReplyDelete
  6. NatashaMon Oct 27, 01:17:00 PM PDT

    I used to say I was a member even when I wasn't just in case. Now am a member again for real.

    ReplyDelete
  7. geriMon Oct 27, 08:59:00 PM PDT

    Some of us tossed around this week's
    "puzzle" at the end of last week's
    comments while awating Blaine. Is
    the game over?

    ReplyDelete
  8. BlaineTue Oct 28, 01:20:00 AM PDT

    Based on what I know, the game is NOT over... there's still time until an on-air winner is announced.

    ReplyDelete
  9. phredpTue Oct 28, 06:52:00 AM PDT

    I could personally relate to the sports team this week.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Don HodunWed Oct 29, 11:52:00 AM PDT

    Phredp - no doubt because you are a fanatic of these puzzles!

    ReplyDelete
  11. BenWed Oct 29, 01:44:00 PM PDT

    Phredp, please rephrain phrom ophphering obvious clues.

    ReplyDelete
  12. phredpThu Oct 30, 11:48:00 AM PDT

    That's phunny but what is a phantastic actually?

    ReplyDelete
  13. phredpThu Oct 30, 11:49:00 AM PDT

    Or a phanatic?

    ReplyDelete
  14. carlThu Oct 30, 12:38:00 PM PDT

    I'm not sure what a phanatic is, but I know the Phantastics was a Broadway musical. Didn't it feature a song about, "try to dismember a guy in September...?"

    ReplyDelete
  15. phredpThu Oct 30, 01:47:00 PM PDT

    I think their mascot is called Phillie Fanatic

    ReplyDelete
  16. geriSun Nov 02, 01:22:00 AM PDT

    phredp, Wikipedia has a great
    picture of Phillies Phanatic. He's
    six feet two.

    ReplyDelete

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